Writer Nguyen Dong Thuc is entering marriage for the first time.

The novel "Life is Sometimes Awkward" is the latest work by writer Nguyen Dong Thuc.

Life has its awkward moments – this marks the first time writer Nguyen Dong Thuc has written about marriage and family – Photo: Publishing House of Vietnam.

Over four decades of writing, author Nguyen Dong Thuc has written nine novels. His ninth and latest novel was published in 2026.

At the age of seventy, the writer speaks of love. A love that blossoms amidst the romantic rose garden of Don Duong in "Loving Each Other in Anxiety." Even though that love is not always peaceful.

The Many Facets of Marriage

In the midst of moments of awkwardness in life, that love took a step further, crossing the threshold of marriage. Through stories revolving around a close group of friends from college, writer Nguyen Dong Thuc typifies common denominators about human relationships in modern life.

Mismatched pairs come together, sharing a bowl of rice. But even if they can share the entire bowl, they remain mismatched. It's difficult for them to walk hand in hand through life. Inevitably, each will choose to part ways in their own painful personal ways.

It was also a marriage with a significant age difference, a cultural difference, and even a national difference. Nowadays, we see more transnational marriages. In an era where people say the world has become "flatter," there are still gaps that are difficult to overcome. In his book, "Life Has Been Awkward," writer Nguyen Dong Thuc calls this gap "class differences."

Then there are office affairs. The tangled relationships that accompany marriages. All interwoven in a long story that doesn't aim to encompass all aspects of married life.
It is simply a way to open a small door to glimpse into this seemingly complex world. This slightly opened door is for those about to enter marriage, for those already in marriage, and for those preparing to leave a marriage.

Preparation for life

That's not to say this book wants to discourage readers from getting married. Perhaps the author wants to prepare those who still think of marriage as a romantic adventure. Or, as we often say, "marriage is the graveyard of love."

On the contrary. Reading *Life* sometimes leaves you bewildered, realizing that "marriage" is a state, a transitional moment to begin a new life. Love shouldn't end here. Love must continue to be nurtured here. And it is here that love alone is not enough. It also includes sharing, understanding, and sometimes even sacrifice.

In other words, marriage is a time of change. If an individual clings to their old self, like the pampered husband who sometimes feels awkward in life, then they have lost the opportunity to live a better life.

As the author shares at the end of the book: "It's fortunate to be confused a few times. Some people have a whole life of chaos, struggling without a way out. They hardly have any happy days, or they have them only to lose them by mistake. It's not just 'bad luck,' but often it stems from oneself" (p. 311).

Indeed, "Life Has Its Moments of Confusion" marks the first time writer Nguyen Dong Thuc has written about marriage and family. Nguyen Dong Thuc wrote "Life Has Its Moments of Confusion" not only from his personal experience. Although reading this book, one might easily be misled by his humility into thinking he has never experienced marriage.

Looking at the list of individuals he thanked, it's clear the writer drew heavily on material outside of his own marriage. He also sought advice on legal matters and women's psychology. This means that in his literary adventure into the realm of marriage, he wanted to wholeheartedly present the most accurate information to his readers.

For a writer with decades of experience and dozens of books to his name, this demonstrates his seriousness and meticulousness in his craft. Even though he's writing about a timeless topic that everyone would assume they already know.

Alongside his work as a journalist and writer, author Nguyen Dong Thuc has also been actively involved in promoting education, such as the Motorcycle Scholarship program. Through the Motorcycle Scholarship, countless "children" who are not related by blood, scattered across the country, have received support to pursue their education. These "children" who are not related by blood have grown up and given birth to their own "grandchildren."

It feels as though Nguyen Dong Thuc, over the past decade, has been writing to prepare a foundation for his "children" and "grandchildren," like a devoted father and grandfather.

Nevertheless, upon closing the final pages of this long story, perhaps each person should know to close the book, put it on the shelf, and leave. Because, as writer Nguyen Dong Thuc shared: "Ultimately, the story has an open ending, leaving the fate of each character unresolved. Life is like that; who knows what tomorrow will bring? Readers, please write the rest yourselves."

Writer Nguyen Dong Thuc

Nguyen Dong Thuc was born in 1951. He worked for Tuoi Tre newspaper from 1977 to 2013. He began writing in 1981.

For a long period, writer Nguyen Dong Thuc was one of the pillars of the Ao Trang (White Shirt) literary magazine. For many years, Ao Trang was a breeding ground for countless generations of teenage writers.

The authors of White Shirt were often students. The largest readership of White Shirt also remained within those communities. Then White Shirt drifted along with the rise and fall of journalism in general.

Nguyen Dong Thuc wrote short stories, novellas, novels, and screenplays for film and stage. His famous works include "Jade in the Stone," "Farewell to Summer," and others.

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HUYNH TRONG KHANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nha-van-nguyen-dong-thuc-lan-dau-cham-ngo-hon-nhan-20260524094036112.htm